Good cruise on the Navigator of the Seas. Embarkation a breeze fastest we've ever gotten onto a ship before (27 cruises and counting). However, weather not so great but what the heck we weren't back in the office working . Had to stay an extra night/day in St. Petersburg due to stormy weather, far too windy to pull away from the dock. The biggest downside was we couldn't get off the ship nor could the ship open the onboard shops/casino... all due to some custom/immigration rules. But as noted, when these hiccups happen one should just say "Ah well" and enjoy the ship. The shore excursions were good, some we went through the Royal C. desk others (St. Petersburg and Tallinn ) we used an independent excursion company (TJ Travel... which was great and much less costly then from the ship).

If you're looking for a nice, reasonably priced hotel to stay at in Southampton the night(s) before you sail we stayed at the Blue Keys Hotel. The bedrooms are minimalist but clean and fits the needs of an overnight guest. The downstairs is charming the pub, dining room and outdoor area all just lovely. Great time, as noted we weren't at work